The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) in the UK has set up a Technology Strategy Board, which has opened various platforms as drivers for innovation of welfare services with the focus on how new technology can be an enabler of welfare innovation. The Technology Strategy Board has launched several projects with the aim of getting especially SMEs involved in providing solutions to welfare challenges. One of the projects launched by the Technology Strategy Board is the Assisted Living Innovation Platform.

The Department of Health (DH), the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) have agreed to fund a number of activities in the area of Assisted Living under the umbrella of the Assisted Living Innovation Platform (ALIP).

The aim of the Assisted Living Innovation Platform is to develop new technologies which could find new ways to help people suffering from chronic long-term illnesses to live more independently. The new platform brings together partners from industry, the health care professions and academia.

At the moment, the platform is exploring how digital communication technologies could enable assisted living by creating assisted living devices and services.

To solve this activity, a competition for funding is set up. To facilitate SME’s participation in the projects, the TSB funds the preparation of applications. Furthermore, the winner of the competition will receive funding for the execution of the project. £5 Million has been allocated to this activity, which would support between five and ten projects.

The Assisted Living Innovation Platform was launched at Innovate07, 8 November 2007.

Source: www.innovateuk.org